BENINGTON CASTLE

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Earthwork of a late 11th century motte and bailey castle within the grounds of Benington Lordship. A keep on the east side of the motte was constructed in 1136. This keep was apparently intended for demolition in 1177, but was in use again by 1193, indicating, perhaps, that this demolition had never taken place. However, it was finally destroyed in 1212. Field investigations carried out in 1971 and 1990 found the earthworks to the east and north were in good condition, but destroyed on the east and south. The walls of the keep survive to a height of 2.5 metres. A building was recorded SW of the church in the late 17th century, indicated by the remaining earthworks. A curtain wall and imitation gatehouse were constructed in 1832.

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(TL 297236) Castle (NR) (rems of) (NAT). (1)

The history of Benington Castle is obscure, but the earthworks may have been thrown up by Peter de Valognes, who was sherriff of the county in 1086. His son, Roger, probably erected the masonry castle in about 1136. One hundred picks were purchased in 1176-7 for the demolition of the castle, but it appears that they were never used as the castle was still strongly garrisoned in 1193. Shortly afterwards it passed to Robert Fitz-Walker on his marriage and was destroyed on his outlawry in 1212.

The remains consist of a large square mound with a semi-circular bailey bank to the NE. The bailey was surrounded by a curtain wall, fragments of which have been found. The remains of a rectangular keep, of flint rubble set in yellow, sandy mortar, stand on the E side of the motte. The keep measures about 44 ft by 41 ft externally with walls 7-8 ft thick and up to 2 ft 6 ins high. The S wall is reduced to its footings and the W wall ends at a door jamb. A large panel of masonry has fallen across a small NE annexe, which may or may not have been part of the original keep. An imitation gatehouse and curtain wall of 1832 run from the Georgian house (Lordship : TL 29652366) on the N side of the mound to the remains of the keep.

On the W is a deep valley in which are two great ponds and traces of a dam, suggesting that this side may have been converted into a lake. (2-8)

The motte and bailey earthworks are in good condition on the E and S sides, but to the N and W they have been destroyed by modern landscaping gardening. See annotated 1:2500 survey. The remains of the keep are overgrown but otherwise in fair condition and the masonry attains a maximum height of 2.5m. There are substantial pieces of fallen masonry at the NE corner of the keep. (9)

The earthworks and castle are as described by authorities 1-9.

The castle is set within a landscape park, in part laid out over furlongs of ridge and furrow. To the W the valley has been dammed to form two small ornamental ponds. Along the W side of the valley a hollow-way may be traced leading off the lane northwards; the line of the feature is later continued as a terrace. It was not possible to trace the feature beyond the ponds but its line is perpetuated by a hedge line to the N. A fine avenue of oak trees lead away westwards from the castle aligned on the W side of the Georgian house. The area to the W of the castle was used as a private golf course in the late 19th century by the present owner's grandfather (10a); no earthworks were seen relating to this activity. Along the E. side of the valley are the earthwork remains of the former approach to the house leaving the lane at TL 29662348.

This drive cuts through the remains of a small post-medieval property to the SW of the church TL 29682352 represented by a series of level platforms and a large hollow set against the lane. Buildings are shown in this area on a late 17th century estate map (10b). (10)

Listed. (11)

Listed by Cathcart King. (12)

Description of gardens and short history of castle. (13)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:10 000 1975

( 2) edited by William Page, F.S.A. 1908 The Victoria history of the county of Hertfordshire, volume two

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)112-3

( 3) edited by William Page 1912 The Victoria history of the county of Hertford, volume three

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)73-74

( 4) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1910 An inventory of the historical monuments in Hertfordshire

Page(s)51-2

( 5) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Hertford Rural District. March 1960 Page(s)13

( 6) The Antiquaries journal : journal of the Society of Antiquaries of London

Renn D F 41, 1961 Page(s)96-7

( 7) by Derek Renn 1971 Medieval castles in Hertfordshire

Page(s)14

( 8) by Derek Renn 1973 Norman castles in Britain

Page(s)105-6

( 9) Field Investigators Comments

F1 JB 27-NOV-70

(10a) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

(10b) Externally held archive reference

Late 17th century map in possession of Mr. Bott

(10) Field Investigators Comments

F2 WDC 02-AUG-90 RCHME Field investigation

( 11) English Heritage Register of parks and gardens of special historic interest in England

Hertfordshire Part 21

(12) by David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. Volume I : Anglesey - Montgomery

Page(s)219

(13) World Wide Web page

http://www.beningtonlordship.co.uk/aboutus.shtml accessed on 20-MAR-2008

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BENINGTON LORDSHIP
BENINGTON

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A late 17th century country house situated on the site of Benington Castle. Additions to the house were made in 1835-38 for George Proctor. This inclu...

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